Sugarbush Living Community

History

The Gadd Era (1958-1977)

On December 25, 1958 Damon and Sara Gadd and their partner Jack Murphy, opened Sugarbush. Lift tickets were just $5.50. The Gadds brought well-known figures to the resort, such as Peter Estin, Sigi Buchmayr, and Stein Erikson. This group drew big-name guests including the Kennedy clan, actress Kim Novak, fashion designer Oleg Cassini and his brother, Igor – a gossip columnist – a countess or two, and many models. This Jet Set crowd became standard for Sugarbush and the resort became known as “Mascara Mountain.”

The Summit Ventures Era (2001 – present)

Today Sugarbush is owned and operated by Summit Ventures NE, LLC, a partnership of a few individuals who have had a long-standing love affair with the resort and Valley and a vision for the resort that is very much the way the Gadds envisioned it nearly 50 years ago – a gathering place for outdoor enthusiasts. Since purchasing the resort in 2001, Summit Ventures has replaced the Castlerock, Green Mountain Express, Valley House, Village, and Sunshine chairlifts; built the Schoolhouse and Farmhouse skier services buildings; upgraded the golf course irrigation system; partially renovated the Sugarbush Inn; invested in significant snowmaking and grooming improvements, among many other capital improvements.

Sugarbush has now laid the foundation for its second half-century. The new Lincoln Peak Village has improved the way we welcome skiers and riders by transforming the guest experience. Phase one opened in December 2006, featuring the luxury slopeside residences of Clay Brook at Sugarbush, a new base lodge, and a slopeside restaurant, Rumble’s Kitchen (formerly Timbers). In addition, Sugarbush opened a new Summer Adventure Center in June 2007, offering lift-served mountain biking, two 18-hole disc golf courses, an 800’ zipline, and a bungee trampoline.

The slopeside residences of Rice Brook were completed in 2014; Gadd Brook Slopeside was completed in 2016. Stay tuned as we continue to grow our Mad River Valley Community.